When did it happen?

The time that has passed since the incident affects how urgent it is to seek help and where you should start.

Less than a month ago

If the sexual violence happened just moments ago, do not wash yourself or change your clothes; as quickly as possible, contact the Seri Support Centre at Tyks Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tyks Lighthouse hospital, Savitehtaankatu 5, Turku, tel. +358 (0)50 475 6108.

You can seek help at the Seri Support Centre within one month after experiencing sexual violence. The Seri Support Centre provides support during the acute phase, for example a physical examination and testing for STDs. If you wish, you can contact the police via the Seri Support Centre for reporting the offence. The services are free of charge and confidential.

The symptoms following sexual violence may vary. In the first days, the experience may seem unreal or you may feel emotionally numb. After the first few days, it is common for the mind to gradually start organising the events into a logical order, which can often cause symptoms that may be severe:

• the body and mind are constantly on high alert
• physical symptoms (headache, nausea, chills, sweating, muscle tension)
• the event or parts thereof constantly replay in your mind
• difficulty concentrating and irritability
• difficulty sleeping
• the need to avoid thinking about the incident or dealing with related matters
• low mood, fear, anxiety, intense emotional reactions

More than a month ago (e.g. months or years ago)

If more time has elapsed, it is important to consider what kind of support you need the most right now. If the incident still bothers you in your daily life, we recommend seeking support, even if years or decades have passed. A sexual offence can be reported until the crime falls under the statute of limitations

After a traumatic experience, the mind keeps processing it, which may result in many unpleasant symptoms. Sometimes, the person can intensely avoid thinking about the experience and, over time, it is pushed back in the mind and the person retains their ability to function almost completely. This may continue for a long time, but it is possible that, at some point in life, the mind starts to consciously process the difficult experience, in which case the symptoms of trauma may resemble those of a recent experience. That is when the person should seek help.

Learn more about the impact of sexual violence on the Naistalo website (in Finnish) »